The Perfect Storm, Part 1
by AdamW
Summary: What will everyone think if Pacey and Joey return home early?? Find out here!


**_ Note: I am, in no way, affiliated with Dawson's Creek, Warner Brothers,_**   
**_ Kevin Williamson, Screen Gems Studios, Granville Productions, Fincannon_**   
**_ and Associates, Columbia Tri-star Television, or Sony Entertainment. I_**   
**_ am, merely, just a fan that wants to entertain people with my ideas for_**   
**_ the show and it's characters._**

* * *

_ Do you remember Hurricane Chris that hit Capeside last year? Do you_   
_ remember all of the drama that was brought out by one small wind storm?_   
_ Well ... fasten your seatbelts and put on your helmuts because bigger and_   
_ stronger Hurricane Erik is headed straight for Capeside and is not showing_   
_ any signs of regression._

* * *

* * *

**_With distinct rotary movement and winds of 45 mph,_**   
**_Tropical Storm Erik is situated just above the Bahamas_**   
**_Islands moving north-northwest at 5 mph._**

* * *

Joey Potter listened to the radio onboard and took a deep sigh. How could this happen? _We only had three more weeks to go_, she said to herself. But she knew deep down that her and Pacey wouldn't be safe here. They heard about the tropical storm on their way to Key West. They had just stopped in Marathon at a place called Captain Hook's Dive Center and Marina. Pacey wanted to get some new goggles for scuba diving. As he was sorting through the variety of pairs, he heard the radio in a nearby room.   
"Joey, we've got to go," he said.   
"But we haven't even made it to Key West yet," replied Joey, frowning.   
"Well," said Pacey, taking her into his arms, "we can always stay inside the cabin onboard and take advantage of the rocking." He smiled seductively at her and Joey's knees buckled.   
"That would bring in a...kind of...dramatic background to the setting, wouldn't it?" she smiled, reaching up to kiss him.   
"You sure know how to make a man horny."   
Joey laughed. "You have know idea," she said seducingly. She took his face in her hands and kissed him more passionately this time.   
As rewarding as Pacey's plan sounded, they both knew that they had to leave. Joey walked out of the boat cabin and sat down on the railing, watching Pacey walk down the docks toward the boat. He had to go on a food run before they left. Their cooler was on empty and they wanted to make it back to Capeside without stopping at every major port. They didn't know exactly what Tropical Storm Erik was going to do, but they didn't want to be caught up in the debree if it came anywhere near the Keys.   
Pacey stepped on board with a few bags in his hands.   
"Ready my queen?" he asked.   
"Ready Prince Charming," replied Joey.   
Pacey ran the motor just enough to get them out to sea and then him and Joey put up the sails and let the wind take charge.

* * *

Two days later, Pacey and Joey found themselves a mile from the Capeside docks. Their journey to discovering their relationship had ended. It was hard for Joey to accept the fact that they had to face Dawson and everyone else for the first time in two months. Her and Pacey had a good time while they were away. They had not once fussed or complained about anything. But now she was afraid that being around Dawson and Andie would make them grow to regret their trip. Of course that could happen. Anything could, if it was left up to Dawson. But now she enjoyed the fact that she didn't regret it. It was one of the only things in her life that she felt sure about.   
"Pacey?" she asked, neverously.   
"Yeah, Jo?"   
"If I forget later on...I had a really good time."   
Pacey looked at her and saw something in her eyes. He didn't know what it was, but he knew that she meant what she said. He was glad that she said it too because even if he hadn't told her, he enjoyed it too. Joey was unlike any girl he'd ever met. She was beautiful, smart, sophisticated, and she had a heart of pure gold. It was finally obvious to Pacey. He was head over heels in love with Joey Potter. He had just spent an entire two months with her on _True Love_. Just him, her, the wide-opened sea, and the feeling he felt for her -- something that he dreamed about for an entire year and never had the chance to tell her. But now he felt the courage that he hadn't felt that entire time. He felt the courage to tell her.   
He walked over to her and took her hand. He pulled her up off of the railing and took her body into his hands.   
"If I forget later on..." he said smiling, "I love you, Josephine Potter."   
He reached down and kissed her. When he opened his eyes, he saw that cute way that she smiles -- out the side of her mouth. Ignoring the fact that people around the docks were staring at them, he reached down and kissed her again, but this time more intimately. After a few minutes of what seemed like heaven, they pulled away from each other and noticed that they were being stared at by what seemed like hundreds of people. But were only Bessie, Bodie, Alexander, and Doug. Pacey and Joey looked at each other and the only thing that could come out of both of their mouths was laughter.

* * *

**_Picking up wind speed to a mere 100 mph, former_**   
**_Tropical Storm Erik has made the crossover to an intense_**   
**_Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale._**   
**_Moving up the east coast at 20 mph, Hurricane Erik is_**   
**_positioned 150 miles south of Nantucket Island._**

* * *

Joey and Pacey surveyed the isles of Mollye's Market, scavenging items that were on the list Bessie gave them. After hearing how far north Hurricane Erik moved overnight, Bessie quickly wrote out a list of things for them to get.   
"Get these things! I don't care where you get them or how much they cost, just get them!"   
Joey remembered how angry she sounded, but she guessed she would be angry too if she had to cancel three reservations for this weekend on count of a wind storm. But Joey didn't have time to be angry. All she could think about was Pacey. He had snuck in her window last night and slept beside her in bed without Bessie or anyone else noticing. He was so romantic, even more so than Dawson.   
_Here I go again -- thinking of Dawson. Why can't I live through one week without even thinking of Dawson, much less comparing him to Pacey?_ she asked herself.   
Pacey couldn't help but stare at Joey. Everytime she got distraught at something, he could see just how beautiful she was. _She's beautiful anyway,_ he thought. He thought of a plan. With Joey busy looking for batteries and no one else around them, this would be the perfect time. He stepped up behind her and put his arms around her waist and his head against the back of hers, smelling the sweet scent of her hair.   
"Are we almost through?" he asked in a monotone voice.   
"Two more things," she replied.   
"Can we hurry it up? Something about this place is making me very..." he thought for a second. _What is the right word?_ "...very **tense**." _There!_   
Joey turned around for a moment and looked into his eyes. She could see something sparkle in them. She sensed he had a plan and she had her thoughts at what it might be.   
"You get the water and I'll get the batteries," she said impatiently.   
And with that, they both took off in opposite directions. Turning the corner, something made Joey come to a halt. It was obvious she had ran into someone, but she was in a hurry and didn't have time to stop.   
"Excuse me," was all she said and kept moving.   
"Yeah...excuse me, too." She heard the person say in a familar voice. And that was what made her stop. She dared herself to look up at the sound of that person, but she had to make sure. Her head drifted up while her eyes were still fixed to the floor. After her eyes slowly rolled up, she put a face to the voice she heard. Her mouth opened and that one word came flowing out. "Dawson..."   
"I'm surprised to see you back so soon."   
_Was that all he could say? 'I'm surprised to see you back so soon'? What -- no 'Hey Joey, I've missed you' or 'Hey, how have you been'?_   
"Yeah, well, we had to come home early because of the hurricane," Joey said. She tried to put a smile on her face regardless of how Dawson was acting.   
"Oh yeah, that's right!" he said. "It was expected to hit Florida, wasn't it?"   
"Yeah, it was," Joey replied, cautiously.   
"You know, Joey, you two would've probably have been better off to have stayed down there," Dawson said.   
Joey was wondering what Dawson was trying to get across. No matter what it was, she was assured that it was going to be a direct hit of sarcasm to either Pacey or herself. So she spoke very carefully, trying not to step on a landmine that would send Dawson up in the air waving caution flags. "Why do you say that?"   
"Because Erik would have totally missed you guys. And then you wouldn't have to worry about your vacation being cut short," he said.   
Joey was relieved. She was sure that Dawson was going to say something to hurt her, but he didn't. Maybe he had accepted her and Pacey's relationship and moved on. Or she hoped so, at least.   
"It's okay. We're glad to be home," she finally said.   
"I'm glad you are, too." They stared at each other, wondering what else to say, until Dawson broke the silence. "Well, I have to be getting back. We have quite a few things to do before the storm gets here. So, I'll see you around."   
"Okay," Joey said, smiling. "Bye."   
With the conversation over, Dawson walked out of the store and Joey leaned her forehead against the nearby drink machine. _That went pretty well_, she said to herself.   
Pacey walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, again. "What's wrong, Jo?   
The sound of his voice made Joey feel even more relieved. She let herself fall back in his embrace as Pacey started kissing her neck a little. "Nothing," she said, softly. She caught site of the batteries. Pacey let go of her as she went and put two packs in the shopping basket. Joey walked back towards him and gave him a small kiss.   
"About that tension?" she asked with a smile on her face.   
"Yeah?"   
"It's bad that it's gone." She took her fingers and ran them across his belly-button, moving downward with each stroke, eventually letting them slide in at the front of his waistline.   
"Oh, don't worry. It's back, believe me," he said, taking deep breaths. And with that, they quickly paid the clerk and headed out the door.

* * *

  
All material on this site is copyright © Adam Wilson 2000.   
I am, in no way, affiliated with Dawson's Creek, Warner Brothers, Kevin Williamson, Screen Gems Studios, Granville   
Productions, Fincannon and Associates, Columbia Tri-star Television, or Sony Entertainment. Nor is this site, in any   
way, associated to the offical Dawson's Creek websites.


End file.
